Here are 7 ways to reduce your risk of developing breast cancer

In the last 25 years, the incidence of breast cancer among Indian women has rise
n.
According to information available on the Tata Memorial Hospital's website world
wide, breast cancer is the most common of all cancers and is the leading cause o
f cancer deaths. In fact, a recent study of breast cancer risk in India revealed
that one in 28 women develops breast cancer during her lifetime. This is higher
in urban areas (one in 22) compared to rural areas, where the risk is lower at
one in 60 women.
But there is no single cause, says Lester Barr, breast cancer surgeon and chairm
an of the UK-based charity Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention. "Breast cancer is c
aused by the interplay of your genes, the environment you live in and lifestyle
factors." In addition to going for mandatory screenings and tests, you can make
lifestyle changes to lower your risk.
1. Do house work: Experts say that being active reduces a woman's risk of breast
cancer. Exercise reduces the number of fat cells, which are responsible for the
release of hormones such as oestrogen and testosterone. It is these fat cells t
hat are thought to encourage tumour growth. Eluned Hughes, head of public health
at UK's Breakthrough Breast Cancer, says, women should aim for 30 minutes of mo
derate physical activity a day. This can reduce breast cancer risk by at least 2
0 per cent. Anything that gets your heart rate up and leaves you feeling a bit o
ut of breath will do, so tackle every day chores like dusting the house with gus
to.
2. Breastfeed your baby: Women who breast-feed for a year over their lifetime, n
ot necessarily continuously, are five per cent less likely to develop breast can
cer than those who don't breast-feed at all, an analysis of cancer statistics by
the World Cancer Research Fund found. The longer a woman breast-feeds, the lowe
r her chances of getting the disease. It's thought that breast-feeding lowers th
e levels of cancer-related hormones in the mother's blood. When breast-feeding e
nds, the body gets rid of damaged cells that could turn cancerous.
3. Drink less booze: Regularly drinking alcohol increases your risk of developin
g breast cancer and the more drinks you have each day, the greater your risk wil
l be," says Highes. Try simple measures to reduce how much you drink. Have one g
lass instead of two, enjoy alcohol-free nights and drink from smaller wine glass
es to reduce your units.
4. Curtail night shifts: Women who work at least three night shifts a week for s
ix years or more are twice as likely to develop breast cancer, Danish researcher
s claim. But more research needs to be done. UK's Health and Safety Executive ha
s commissioned a study that is due to be published in 2015 and should help find
more answers.
However, docs say it's not clear if it's the unhealthy behaviour caused by worki
ng night shifts, like eating poorly and being inactive, that's the possible caus
e, rather than the shift work itself. Women, therefore, need to think about thei
r overall lifestyle, whatever hours they work.
5. Reduce cholesterol: Women who take statins (drugs that lower cholesterol leve
ls) for more than a decade face doubling the risk of developing invasive ductal
carcinoma, or IDC, the most common type of breast cancer, according to the Fred
Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. While studies suggest the short-term use of s
tatins appears to have a protective effect against breast cancer, in the long ru
n, statins may damage certain chemical pathways that lead to the growth of tumou
rs. However, do not stop taking statins without consulting the doctor.
6. Avoid unhealthy chemicals: Don't use canned food and drinks and don't microwa
ve food in plastic containers, warns nutritionist, Conner Middelmann-Whitney. Th
ey contain chemicals that behave like oestrogens, increasing breast cancer risk.
High temperature barbecuing, grilling or frying meat can trigger the production
of acrylamide that also increase cancer risk so try to cook meat gently and mak
e an effort to avoid preserved meats as well.
7. Step out in the sun: Natural sunlight is the best way of increasing stores of
vitamin D, which can lower your risk of breast cancer, say Canadian researchers
. Laboratory tests suggest breast cells can convert vitamin D to a hormone that
has anti-cancer properties. This advice should, however, be balanced against the
risk of developing skin cancer from sun exposure.